Calgary city council receives fourth straight pay raise

Calgary city councillors are enjoying another pay bump, marking the fourth consecutive year of salary increases.

As of Jan. 1, the mayor and councillors received a 3.07 per cent raise, bringing the total increase since 2022 to 9.5 per cent.

While a volunteer compensation review committee approved the hike, critics argue salary increases should be tied to performance.

"Are my streets safer, cleaner, and in better repair? Because frankly, that's the job of a city hall government," said Kris Sims of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek's salary now sits at nearly $220,298, significantly higher than the premier of Alberta's. Councillors' salaries have risen to approximately $124,462 annually.

Council compensation is determined by a citizen committee based on Alberta's average weekly earnings, a system established before the last election. This means salaries fluctuate with the province's economic performance.

"Council has no role in defining their salaries and we rely on the council compensation committee to make that judgment," said Ward 7 councillor Terry Wong.

Ward 11 councillor Kourtney Penner acknowledged the lack of performance-based metrics but emphasized the subjective nature of evaluating the council's performance.

"Performances in a council position is subjective and everyone has a different opinion on who's doing a good job," said Penner.

She also pointed out that Calgary's council salaries are comparable to other major Canadian cities and the salaries of provincial MLAs, considering the workload and responsibilities.

"We are similar to other comparable cities. We are comparable to MLAs in this province,” she said.

"So the number of hours worked, I think it's a fair wage.”

Some councillors have expressed openness to freezing or halting future wage increases.

"I'm okay with the notion of pulling that back," said Wong.

However, no formal motion to this effect has been presented.

Sims criticized the automatic nature of the salary increases.

"The idea that there's some sort of automatic fairy godmother that just bestows or forces a pay hike upon them is ludicrous," said Sims.

"What that's called is passing the buck. They're trying to pass the buck about their pay hikes to some amorphous outside force."

A report presented to council showed what mayors and councillors in major cities earned in 2024, according to Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Inc.

City council salaries in major cities across Canada. (Stats courtesy: Gallagher Benefit Services Canada Inc.)

•  Toronto : mayor - $225,304, councillor - $133,776
•  Edmonton : mayor - $216,585, councillor - $122,363
•  Calgary : mayor - $213,737, councillor - $120,755
•  Winnipeg : mayor - $213,328, councillor - $114,609
•  Va ncouve r: mayor - $208,962, councillor - $104,986
• Ottawa: mayor - $208,760, councillor - $116,735
• Halifax: mayor - $200,853, councillor - $99,403

Calgarians will head to the polls in October.